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Christopher Jaffe, LCSW

Consultant & NGO Leader

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Email:

chrisjaffe@outlook.com

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Christopher Jaffe (he/him) is a Chicago-based non-profit leader and currently serves as the Senior Director of Innovation and Practice for Heartland Alliance. With nearly two decades of experience in the field, he has professionally supported more than 20 social service organizations to design and implement programs, strategically plan large-scale growth, to build capacity with fidelity, and improve development and operations systems. Christopher has served as an Executive Director, a non-profit founder, and has worked with organizations of varying sizes and focus areas across the US, UK, South Africa, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Netherlands.

 

He has also served on the Leadership Team of Youth Guidance’s Becoming a Man (BAM) Program, on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE), and the Alumni Board of Directors for the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), holds a master’s degree from the University of Chicago's Crown School and a BA from DePaul University in Sociology.

 

Christopher has a passion for collaborating with agencies to create and expand quality programs that serve vulnerable populations in a myriad of contexts. He has invested in the study of public administration and policy issues connected in inequality, the justice system, and urban youth. Christopher lives on the northwest side of Chicago with his family.

Current Projects
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Past Projects
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
09/2022-Present

Impact Division
Senior Director, Innovation and Practice

Heartland Alliance

Lead Innovation and Practice long and short-range business planning, design new human and social service projects.

 

Oversee development of the RISE Initiative (Refugee, Immigrant, and Asylum Seeker Engagement), a comprehensive set of resources coordinated through a central intake and internal referral system including; housing, employment, medical care, mental health care, legal services, and cash assistance.

 

Oversee Participant Voice Initiative, incorporating feedback from Heartland participants into all levels of programatic operations.

 

Oversee Housing Justice Framework, developing a cross-Alliance framework for Heartland's approach to justice-informed housing policy.

10/2012-08/2022

BAM Leadership Team
Senior Manager, Partnerships & Operations

Becoming a Man (BAM) Program

Program management and national expansion design/implementation for the Becoming a Man (BAM) Program

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Strategic planning and execution for expansion from 15 schools to 135, and 15 staff to 200. Budget Management ($15 Million)

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Design and implementation of staffing program - hired more than 350 clinical counselors in six years

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Cultivating and coordinating key agency partnerships; Chicago Mayor, Obama Foundation, Chicago Bears, Bulls & White Sox

09/2020-04/2023

Sr. Program Design & Implementation Consultant

J-PAL - Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab

Created school-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) program for youth violence reduction, Western Cape region of South Africa.

 

Serving as a Senior Member of the Steering Committee, alongside Department of the Premier and Department of Education.

 

Development and execution of virtual training program for school-based staff, social workers, and school administrators.

 

Providing strategic guidance on program development, curriculum design, process monitoring, and implementation strategy.

10/2016-03/2020

Senior Implementation Strategist

The Bridge Learning Interventions

Designed full academic year, social and emotional learning curriculum for immigrant and refugee youth in Amsterdam and Haarlem. 

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Implemented training program for staff, and advised for program scalability. 

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Guided staff to realize strategic clarity while planning for randomized control trial study (RCT)

12/2018-04/2022

Psychosocial Consultant - eMBeD

Implementation Advisor - Education GP

The World Bank

Developed 10-lesson light-touch PSS intervention (curriculum, methodology, & implementation strategy) for youth (9-16) in North Lebanon.

 

Research, consultation, and analysis of schools and non-profit organizations providing violence-reduction services across Lebanon.

 

Advise the team on preparation, planning, and implementation of school-based CBT intervention for Syrian refugees and Jordanian students in Jordan.

 

Developed 20-lesson CBT intervention (curriculum, methodology, & implementation strategy) for youth (13-18) in Amman, Jordan.

 

On-site research and analysis of schools in Amman, Jordan. Expert advice on program Impact Evaluation (IE) design.

09/2007-10/2010

Center Director

Mankind Project Chicago, Inc.

Developed and administered leadership, emotional literacy, personal growth, and diversity workshops for men and women.


Expanded programming (primary source of revenue) by 100%, organized community activities for volunteer base of over 5,000 people.


Developed fund-raising campaigns, created and maintained a system of operations, facilities management, and budget management.

09/2004-09/2007

Community Development Associate

DePaul University - Irwin W Steans Center

Coordinated 80 student volunteers in their participation in city-wide community service projects.


Created cohesive partnerships and developed volunteer programming with 15 Chicago Community Organizations.


Lead discussions with students reflecting on their impact in the community, addressing social justice and awareness of privilege.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
10/2012-07/2019

Board of Directors
(Executive Committee)

CAASE (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation)

Board Development Committee Chair; directing board recruitment, professional development, and board member orientation.


Fund-raising; hosting public events, and individual donor solicitation.

08/2016-07/2019

Alumni Board of Directors

University of Chicago

Chair of Alumni Networking and Professional Development Committee (10/2012 – 07/2019)


Coordinating professional development and networking events for University of Chicago SSA Alumni.

 

Developed panel discussion titled “Chicago’s Violence Problem: How Social-Emotional Learning Can Provide Promise for the City.”

09/2010-06/2012

Graduate School Internships

American Red Cross of Greater Chicago

Foundation, corporation, and personal research for funding opportunities, with a diverse selection of accounts.


Ingenuity Incorporated

Managed projects for arts-education advocacy for Chicago Public Schools.


Leyden Family Services

Managed client cases and completed bio-psyco-social assessments for clients experiencing various forms of mental illness.

EDUCATION
2010-2012

Master's Degree (AM)

University of Chicago

School of Social Service Administration

Chicago, IL

2004-2008

Bachelor's Degree

DePaul University

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Sociology

Chicago, IL

2015

Education Pioneers

Visiting Fellow

Chicago, IL

2011

Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Community Practice

Mumbai, India

EXPERTISE

National and International Program Design/Implementation

Large-scale Program Expansion

Violence Prevention Programming

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Social & Emotional Learning

Executive Board Leadership

Research/Evaluation Design

PHOTOGRAPHY

I'm also an amateur photographer. See my work here

CONTACT
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